Home Buying Packet Checklist: Fill & Download for Free

Following are the important points to be noted while planning for own flatYour convinience to travel to the office.Your spouse convinence to tral to his/her office.Your childs convenience to go to school.Convinence to travel to market during normal days and in case of urgency.Convinence to travel to hospital in case of emergency.Would suggest if your are trying to buy a house other than the area you are living in first try it with rental hiuse in the new area where you are planing to buy house look at your convinence and then decide to buy.You have to check the credibility of seller viz whether he has complete the project on time, has he kept up his promise, you have to check this from the market and not the seller.You then check for the loan which you would receive for your income.Sources for down paymenr viz savings, savings in the form of PF savings receivable from freinds and relatives etc.Then you have to keep certain funds for your emergency purpose if reqd. Try to have 10% of the house value has the builder is bound to come with changes demanding you with excess cost.Whether you are purchasing ready to occupy house or under construction property since under construction property might cost higher as it may include GST. Also you have to pay rent for under construction period for the house you are living in.Whether you are going to opt for small buildet or big one, has for big one the cost is also higher and you have to pay higher maintenance cost after possesion.Check with your lawyer for the credibility of documents also check Encumberence Certificate for 25 years.Decide the bank in which you are going to take loan based on interest, processing fee documentation charges etc.Last but not the least have some money in your packet for house warming ceremony.Best of luck for your new house

Checklist for packing24-07-201700:51LIST OF THINGS TO BUY BEFORE DEPARTURE (ALL CAPS BRO!)CLOTHES:-1.T-shirts (round neck) - 82. T-shirts (collared) - 3-43. Jeans (stick to blue/black) - 6-74. Formal shirts - 35. Formal trousers - 26. Undergarments - at least 15 pairs (very important)7. Formal suit - 1 complete set8. Ties - 2-39. Shorts/three-fourths - 5-610. Track pants - 2-311. Swimming trunks - 1 (if you plan to swim after coming here)12. One traditional dress for festivalsEXTRA APPARALS:-1. Towels (any kind, but I would prefer Turkish(Or Tunisian) – 1 turkish,3 Simple2. Hand towels - 3-43. Leather belts - 1-24. Belt for jeans - 15. Formal leather shoes - 1 pair6. Woodland all-weather shoes - 1 pair (very important)7. Sneakers (optional) - 1 pair8. Sports shoes (optional) - They are very cheap in the US. You will most probably have a pair already. Wear it and come. Wait till the black friday sales where you will get awesome pairs of shoes for cheap.9. Sunglasses - 1 pair (any good brand is okay)10. Socks - 6-7 pairs11. Sweater - 1-2 good warm ones12. A light jacket (you can get a thicker one once you land in the US)13. A good umbrella (don't get the cheap ones, they can't stand the wind)14. Handkerchiefs - 12 nos.15. Hawaii slippers - 1 pair (for wearing inside the apartment)16. Flip-flops - 1 pair (for summer and spring)17. Bedsheets - 218. Blanket - 1 (optional)19. Pillow covers - 320. A good wallet (leather) - 121. A wallet for passport22. Shoe polish - 1 (don't get liquid, might spill during travel)23. Shoe polishing brush - 124. Monkey cap - 1ELECTRONICS1. External HDD (get the portable one) - You might need this for bringing all those movies, music and files from back home. Minimum of 1 TB. Any brand is fine. Flipkart has a sale on Transcend and WD till 26th May.2. USB keyboard and mouse (optional) - gamers might need this. Even otherwise, it is a good thing to have. Get Logitech.4. If you already have a laptop, you may bring that. Even if it is quite old, preserve it till black friday. You will get super deals, both online and in-store.5. IPod/mp3 player (optional) - You might need this if you have to wait for long times at airports. Else, get it in the US.6. Digital Camera- Get it from India. It might be a little more expensive, but you will need it to record all those initial snaps in the US. Preferred brands are Canon, Sony and Nikon. Don't buy cameras that require AA batteries. Buy models with Li-ion batteries.7. A good pair of headphones with mic.8. A branded spike-buster.9. Indian pin to US pin converters - 2-3. (very important)10. A small table clock with alarm functionality11. A scientific calculator (very important) Casio fx991MS or fx991ES - This is damn expensive in the US.12. A good branded, decent wrist watch.13. An extra battery for your wrist watch.14. Blank DVDs - 4-5.Personal hygiene products1. Tooth paste - one large tube. Brands also available in the US - Colgate, Close-Up, Pepsodent, Aquafresh (Note: The Pepsodent here is not the same as the Pepsodent in India, it is owned by a different company, not by Unilever. (This is a very important fact))2. Tooth brushes - 3-43. Soap - 1-2 bars. Brands also available in the US - Dove, Palmolive and Pears. If you don't use any of these brands, then better get used to them. No use bringing lots of soap bars from India.4. Shampoo - 1 bottle. Brands also available in the US - Head and Shoulders, Sunsilk, Dove, Pantene, Nizoral. Again, get used to any one of these brands.5. Shaving razor(for guys) - A couple of disposable ones.6. Shaving foam (don't buy cream) - 1 small can7. Cold cream - 1 bottle8. Vaseline - 1 bottle9. Good clean combs - 2-310. Comb cleaner/old toothbrush for cleaning the combs.11. Soap cases - 212. Hair oil - 2 bottles13. Deodorant - 1 can14. Nail cutter - 215. Earbuds - 1 small pack16. Sunscreen - 1 bottle17. Lip balm - 2 tubesUtensils1.Pressure cooker2. Pressure pan - 1. As far as possible, get both the cooker and the pan from the same brand so that you can interchange the gaskets and the weights.3. Medium size kadai for cooking vegetables - 14. Serving spoons (of various sizes) - 3-45. SS Plate - 16. Kadai for boiling milk/water - 17. Knives - 3-48. Vegetable chopping board - 19. SS glasses/tumblers - 310. SS spoons - 3-411. Extra weights and gaskets for the cookers - 312. Chapati roller - 113. Butter knives - 214. SS forks - 215. Kadai for making sambar/dal - 116. Tea strainer - 117. Water bottle (preferably Tupperware) – 1Food items1. Ready-to-eat paste - 5-6 bottles minimum.2. Rice - 3-4 kg for initial use3. Maggi - 10-12 (minimum). You won't get Maggi in the US except in Indian stores. So carry as much as you can.4. Some home-made sweets for yourself as well as for seniors you need favors from.5. Pickles - 3-4 bottles6. Some snacks - how much ever you want, for the initial days7. All powders - chilli, garam masala, rasam, sambar, asafetida, other powders you use - 0.5 to 1 kg each8. All dals that you use in cooking - 2 kg each9. Salt and sugar - 0.5 kg each10. Papads - 2-3 packs11. Tamarind - 1 kg12. Ginger-garlic paste - 2 bottlesStationery items1. Pens - 3-42. Notebooks - 2-33. Pencils - 3-44. Erasers - 35. Sharpeners - 36. Key chains - 27. Staple machine - 18. Pins - 2 boxes9. Glue sticks - 210. Markers - 211. Highlighters - 112. A4 sheets - 1 quire13. Small ruler - 114. Phone book - 1. Keep all your friends' and relatives' phone numbers written inside before you leave ( or use Google sync like a normal person)15. Cellophane tape - 1 rollMedicinesThese are very important since for getting any specialized medicine in the US, you need a prescription.Quote:1. Cold, Fever - Crocin2. Body Pain - Crocin, Combiflam3. Indigestion, Gastric Problems - Gelucil, Zinetac4. Throat Infection - Erythromycin5. Allergies - Avil .256. Vomiting - Avomine7. Tooth Ache - Combiflam8. Cold, Head Ache - Amurtanjan9. Stomach Pain - Cyclopam10. Diarrhea - Lopomide11. Dizziness - Diziron12. Sprain - Esgypyrin13. Common Cold - Coldact, Vicks VaporubDocument listPassport Xerox(5 copies)(2) VISA Xerox (5 copies)(4) I-20(5 copies)(5) Air Ticket(2 copies)(6) Original marksheets + Degree Certificate(7) Attested marksheets + Degree Certificate (3 copies)(8 Original transcripts + Degree Certificate (3 copies)(9) Immunization form(specific to university)(10) University specific letters like admit, aid, forms.(11) SEVIS fee reciept(3 copies)(12) GRE Original + Xerox copies(5 copies)(13) TOEFL Original + Xerox copies(5 copies)(14) Final Year Project Report(15) Syllabus Copies(16) Reco Letters.PackingDon't procrastinate packing till the last moment as you won't find time later, and in the tension you may miss out on some important things. Start packing early. Make sure you make a list of all stuff you are carrying. Label all the suitcases both inside and outside with both your home address in India and your university address. Include the phone numbers also. Make sure you are within the luggage allowance (you can do this by carrying the suitcase to the nearest scrap metal shop/rice mundi), though it can exceed upto 1-2 kgs.DOs and DONTs for packing (and all), a list compiled out of experience:This list is personalized for IUPUI, so I don't know if it'll work for other places:DOsCarry pens! Like the 2-3 Rs. Ones. Also some notes and required stationary. Stationary is expensive in the US.Stick files! Pretty useful.Get some A4 size paper too. If you can't don't bother. Printing at IUPUI costs 4 cents for B&W and 25 cents for Color. Canal Square Apartments has printers which you can use.Get a Forex card like Thomas Cook or Axis. Your parents can deposit money in India and you can withdraw it and put it in your local account in the US.Carry about 50-100$ in cash. You'll need some change for the Trolleys at few Airports!Buy utensils in India. Mostly all apartments have Induction Stoves so find out once. They might be costly there. Share the utensils with your roommates while taking them.Buy a rice cooker in the US.One set full formal attire. Only one, unless you like wearing it. If you're like me who hates formal wear, then JUST one! Of course the formal shoes too.*Mark/Label everything you own! Chargers, cables, HDDs, Earphones, Trimmer... I even marked my handkerchiefs!* Very important. Things get lost and STOLEN.Chappals for the house, sandals for summer and shoes for all other times! Don't get any other footwear. (Ummm... You can always buy shoes there! But I'd say take an extra pair of shoes. And that's it!)Get your Indian Driving Licence with International Drivers Permit. Apply for a licence there as soon as you know all the rules.Maggi! Maggi! Maggi! Don't get the packets just get the masala. You can buy Ramen noodles and use Maggi masala. Best option! You'll end making more Maggi than you've ever seen in your life!Multi Head Screwdriver set! One for your room. It's actually useful.As soon as you move in, change all bulbs to CFL or LED. The yellow light is frustrating as we are used to tubelights in India. Get bulbs marked as 'Day Light'. Those are the white ones. NOT Soft White.If you're getting your own phone from India check the network bands it has and see if it's supported in the US. You can get this info from GSM Arena.DONTsDon't pack any pulses or rice. Everything is available there. You can consider getting spices though. Refer to that other list too.Don't worry about ID cards and all. Your passport is the only ID accepted if you don't have an US State issued Licence/ID.Don't carry a lot of clothes, specially warm clothes. Everything you'll get there.Don't carry cheques/DD etc. Stick to the Forex.Don't carry electronics that don't have adapters, like Blowdryers etc. Voltage conversion problem - 220 to 110.Don't get a neck pillow. Trust me it sucks. They'll give you a pillow on the flight.Don't bother about TSA approved locks. They are costly. Instead use Zip Ties to lock your luggage. That way Customs can open your bag by simply cutting the Zip Tie.They say mark your luggage. True. Use ribbons with your own colour combination. Printing your name and address details on a paper and pasting it on your luggage is actually pointless. I felt stupid doing it. Don't do it.

Eight Simple Tips to Improve Health :-I) How To eatII) How Much To eatIII) What To EatIV) What Not To EatV) When To EatVI) The 6 components of a Healthy Regime - Physical Activity , Strength Training , Cardio Exercises , Flexibility Exercises , Breathing Exercises & MeditationVII) The 3 Foundations of Life - Knowlegde , Devotion & ServiceVIII) 40 Additional Small But Important PointsI) How To Eat : - Mindfully & Chewing Every Bite of Food till it becomes liquidThis is the single most important point for our overall wellbeing, weight loss is just one of the several positive changes that one would experience in just one month’s time by incorporating this simple exercise of chewing the food well. One should spend 20-30 minutes for every meal i.e. breakfast , lunch and dinner. The chewing process predigests our food into small pieces and partially liquefies it, making it easier to digest. Remember that our intestine is not a grinder , it simply can’t grind food. It is the job the teeth to do it.Digestion is a demanding activity for our body, requiring a great deal of energy, especially if forced to digest improperly chewed food. Chewing properly allows our stomach to work more efficiently and break down our food faster. Saliva contains digestive enzymes, so the longer we chew, the more time these enzymes have to start breaking down our food, making digestion easier on our stomach and small intestine. One of these enzymes is lingual lipase, an enzyme that helps break down fats, for example. Saliva also helps to lubricate our food so it’s easier on our esophagus.Hence the first question How we eat should be addressed by the below checklist :-A) Eat in a relaxed state of mind, we should never eat in hurry or worry! If time is really less it’s better to skip the meal rather to simply engulf/swallow the food. We can start by a small half minute prayer by thanking the divine for this wonderful food, the sun for its energy that is being photosynthesized ,the earth, the farmer and the one who cooked the food.B) Let our eating become a meditation, be extremely thankful and mindful for the food that’s in our plate .Literally enjoy every bite in bliss and great fullness.C) Count the number of chews and set a target of 100 chews/bite, this may vary depending upon the type of food/size of the bite but still the target should be 100 chews. Even after the food is liquid or has gone down in say 70 counts , just keep counting till 100 , this will allow us to eat slowly and mindfully and would result in more saliva production.This practice also takes care of how much we eat. The longer we chew, the more time it will take us to finish a meal, and research shows that eating slowly can help us to eat less and, ultimately, to avoid weight gain or even lose weight. For example, chewing our food twice as long as we normally do ,will instantly help us control our portion sizes, which naturally decreases calorie consumption. It takes time (generally about 20 minutes) for our brain to signal to our stomach that we ’re full, and this may explain why one study found people reported feeling fuller when they ate slowly. They also ended up consuming about 10 percent fewer calories when they ate at a slow pace, and presumably chewed slower, as opposed to when they were rushing. We work , we take stress , we run around for earning bread and surprisingly enough , how less time we spend on eating it. We never enjoy our food. We just eat it http://unconsciously.So make it a pleasurable activity. Indulge all your senses in food and enjoy!II) How Much To Eat:-Only Upto 80% Full (Japanese Proverb - Hara Hachi Bun Me)It is a fact that in today’s world more people die of overeating than under eating. We live in a culture where comparison and over accumulation has become a trend and we carry that in our eating habits as well. How often we eat in parties and buffets out of greed as if we won’t get food again. By overeating we can never experience the contentment that food would otherwise have provided us. We just feel full till our throat and then repent that we ate too much. This is disastrous for our health. The Japanese people had known the secret to long life from ages and the secret is to eat only till we feel around 80% full. In simple terms it means eating slightly less than what we usually eat i.e. when we leave the dining table we should not be feeling choked to the throat rather slight hint of hunger should still be there. It is a fact that in societies where this practice is followed , people live the longest like in Okinawa Japan. Lot of scientific research has been done on this topic and infact the so called CR (calorie restriction) diet that is proven as the best anti-aging strategy can be simply achieved by following the Japanese rule “hara bachi bun me” i.e eat upto 80%.III) What To Eat:- Ideally 80% Alkaline & 20% Acidic (but Practically 50% Alkaline & 50% Acidic to start off with)All consumable foods can be divided into two categories depending on the effect they have on our bodies – Acidic & Alkaline. Our normal pH level is slightly alkaline, slightly above neutral at around 7.2 – 7.3. A healthy alkaline body feels – good levels of energy, has a clear mind to make decisions and focus on tasks at hand, has a good healthy appetite, does not feel bloated or too gassy, has regular easy bowel movements, sleeps well and wakes up feeling rejuvenated. An acidic body leads to inflammation, potential heart disease, arthritis and a list of other life-threatening ailments due to the imbalance of acid and alkaline in our body’s fluids and tissues. It is simple chemistry. Our body cannot sustain a healthy equilibrium in an acidic state .For optimum cell function, we require more alkaline foods which are also high in nutrition. A balance of 80-20 alkaline-acid is the ideal ratio to boost our immunity, rejuvenate our hard-working body, cleanse toxins and organs and recharge our energy. However our modern day eating habits or availability of more processed, higher fat, higher salt and higher sugar types of foods have caused our normal healthy pH to become more acidic as our dietary intake is actually reverse i.e. 80 % acidic and 20 % alkaline. This is extremely unhealthy. As a simple rule of thumb all fruits and vegetables are alkaline and everything else is acidic. Although 80-20 is the ideal ratio of alkaline-acid foods we should consume we can aim at 50-50 ratio which would yield fantastic results to start off with.I know that this alkaline-acidic topic is considered to be pseudoscience by many well known experts , and in fact it may well be true that this acid-alkaline philosophy may not be scientifically proven , but every single expert agrees on eating more fruits and vegetables . So you should embrace this point anyhow since it focuses on eating food that is undoubtedly recommended by one and all.To achieve a 50-50 ratio the below chart can be referred , the basis is that 50% of our total food intake should be fruits and vegetables :-IV) What Not To Eat :- Processed FoodA very big leap towards weight balance is achieved simply by understanding what we should never eat and what is harmful and dangerous for our body, mind and the soul. As a simple rule we shouldn’t eat any processed or packet food , not even once in a month.The following items should be completely omitted from our food dictionary :-A) All Sugar Products- Sweets, Cold Drinks ,Chocolates ,Biscuits, Ice-creams, Pastries, Cakes, Tea, Coffee etc.B) All Fried Products-Samosa, Vada, Pakoda, Papad etc.C) All Maida products-Bread , Paw , Naan , Tandoori Roti made of Maida , Bakery Products , Maggi , Noodles etc.D) All Packet Food- Farsana , Mixtures , Chips , Kurkure, Kellogs corn flakes , Ready to eat products , Soups ,etc.E) All Fast Food- Pizza , Burger ,sauces, Junk Food , Hotel Food ,KFC, Mc Donald’s, Chinese Food etc.F) All Fatty Food-Butter , Cream , Peanut Butter, Nutrilite , Mayonnaise etc.G) All Ready To Eat Meals :- In today’s world paneer a sabji like butter masala can be preserved for one year , one simply needs to open the pack , heat it and eat it. Ridiculous!H) All Chemicals - Check label of anything that we eat and treat these as more dangerous than rat Poison - Preservatives , Colors , Emulsifiers ,Anti oxidants, Artificial flavors , artificial sweeteners , Partially Hydrogenated etc . These are all chemicals that our body simply can’t understand and digest. In my opinion these are all poisonous to the body. Just check the label of any biscuit , any ice cream , any chocolate it is a horror show for the body. Simply refuse to put chemical poisons in the body.Check for the term “Partially Hydrogenated Oil” in any food label , you can treat this as equivalent to eating rat poison.Needless to mention in the above list that Alcoholic Products, Cigarettes, Tobacco etc. are a Big NO! Remember that our body is the temple where Divine resides in the form of our soul/consciousness/energy whatever we may like to call it. We are all divine beings and this body is a precious miraculous gift from divinity to us, we should never disrespect it by the intake of such products. “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey , we are spiritual beings on a human journey” hence the best way to show gratitude to divinity is by taking care of our body!V) When To Eat :- When Slightly HungryIt’s the most fascinating thing to watch a child eat. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are satisfied. They do not count calories, fat grams, or amount of carbohydrates. They do not deliberately starve themselves, nor do they overeat. They listen to both their hunger and satiety cues and eat accordingly.Even one grain of food taken when we are not actually hungry is poison to the body. We should not eat for time pass , social obligation , it’s time to eat so let’s eat etc.When we follow a particular routine for some days, the body gets adjusted to it and gives hunger signals more or less at the same time so initially following a routine is essential for some days.Usually we would feel some hunger every 2-3 hours with varying degree of intensity. Ideal is to have 3 big meals(breakfast + luch+ dinner) + 3/4/5 small meals(fruits/sprouts/nuts/seeds/etc.).We should also not starve ourselves that is we are hungry and still not eating to lose weight. This too is very unhealthy. So there could be 2 extremes :-Extreme 1- Eating when not hungryExtreme 2 – Not eating when hungry (starving ourselves to lose weight)A balanced approach is very important to get the metabolism going throughout the day and prevention fat accumulation in the body. For finer details read the book titled “loose your weight don’t lose your mind” by Rujuta Devekar.Below is a sample diet plan that I follow :-6:30 am-1 Banana8:30 am-Breakfast -Bowl full of Raw Vegetables salad sprinkled with small quantity of Flax Seed Powder (carrot+ beetroot + capsicum + cabbage/cauliflower + cucumber + 1 fruit (pomegranate/guava/pineapple) + 6 Walnuts + 1 Omega 3 enriched Whole Egg + 1 Normal Egg White) + if required one can have small quantity of /Poha/Upma/Idli/Dosa/Sooji Utappam/ along with raw vegetables10:30 am- 6 Almonds+ Seeds + 2 Apricots + 2 dates12:30 pm-Lunch- 2 Rotis (or 1 bowl rice) + Dal+ Sabji+ Curd Sprinkled with small quantity of Flax Seed Powder + 1 Cod Liver Oil Capsule (300 mg)3:30 pm- Unsalted Roasted Peanuts + dates / Bengal Grams i.e. Roasted Chana + Black Kishmish5:30 pm-One seasonal fruit / Coconut water7:30 pm -Dinner - 2 Rotis + SabjiAdditional notes :- Eating first thing in the morning is very critical to maintain weight ; the first diet is very important and should not be delayed, eat the first diet as soon as possible after getting up after drinking water. Fruits that can be taken are-Pomegranate/ Guava/Papaya/Pineapple/Oranges/Awla etc. A meal a handful of sprouts can also be taken ;Anjeer can also be taken in the morning empty stomach. Don’t eat huge quantity of food during night,dinner should be easy on our stomach as during night our digestive power is the minimum and hence we should eat lightVI) The Six components of a healthy regime :-Below are the essential non-negotiable components of any fitness regime .Any fitness schedule that misses out any one of these six components would be incomplete. Overemphasizing one over the other is also wrong as a balanced approach has to be taken. “Moderation” and “Consistency” are the keys.All one needs is max 1 hour/day which we should definitely be able to find. Based on my own experience and some literature and books I read I have tried to sum up the basics of these components below.1) Physical ActivityWhat is it and Why it matters :- Our bodies are designed to move. “Exercise is Optional, Movement is Essential". There is a huge difference between the two. Exercise is a modern invention designed to give us a way out, a get out of jail free card that lets us believe three weekly trips to the gym lets us off the hook with our bodies. It is pain, rather than pleasure driven. It is generally focused on specificity and lacking in real skill development. Most exercise regimes use machines and isolated exercises that make us experts in movements that are not practical and are limited. Movement is something entirely different. Movement is ancient. Movement was here first. Hunting and gathering, dancing round the fire, walking, climbing, running, jumping, crawling, lifting, swimming, fighting etc. These are all movements the human body is designed for. A lot of public health research now points towards needing more movement in our lives, as opposed to exercise to remain healthy. For example, no amount of exercise will undo the pathology that is sitting and remaining sedentary. And conversely, one could go their whole life without ever doing exercise but instead move as part of our everyday life and remain healthy.So we can say that the below mentioned remaining five components are luxury items whereas physical activity is a must. Sitting whole day is more dangerous than even smoking. In spite of havingsedentary jobs we can smartly incorporate physical activity into our daily lives. Use it or lose it-if we let muscles and joints stop moving, over time the overall body loses the ability to move. If we want to move well when we are old, we must keep our body moving well as we age. Life is motion. When we stop moving, we stop living, which is why staying active is the number one desire of people as they age. Motion is vital for health and aging well. Watch a normal child move. Youth is moving freely and with control. Watch someone who‘s sick move: they are stiff and consequently may be described as “looking old.”How one can do It :- We have to adopt certain strategies to be physically active throughout the day. Below tips are recommended :-a) Walk at least 10,000 steps in one day :-Buy a pedometer that counts steps. It costs around 500/- but helps us to stay motivated to walk. As we all are target driven and crazy for numbers and figures , the target to reach 10,000 steps keeps us motivated to achieve it. We can keep reviewing every 3-4 hours how many steps have we moved and adjust accordingly.b) Stand Up every 15 Minutes :- If we have a desk job make sure to at least stand-up every 15 minutes.c) Take a small stroll to water cooler / washroom every 45 Minutesd) Take 2 flight of stairs every 90 Minutese) Park the vehicle as far as possible from the officef) Walk for going to nearby shops instead of using a vehicleg) Take more nature walks Go to a nearby mountain every weekendh) Play like a child with small kids2) Strength TrainingWhat is it and Why it matters :- First let us understand what it is not. It is often misunderstood as bulking up and building 6-packs ab and Salman like biceps for show-off. So most people feel that they don’t really need it. WRONG!It is actually defined as a type of anaerobic physical exercise that by the use of resistance specializes in>Increasing Muscular Fitness (Increases muscle strength, muscle mass and size)>Increasing Bone Strength and bone density>Increasing Tendon and Ligament Strength>Improving Joint FunctionApart from these benefits in aids in health improvement ,increases metabolism, aids in fat loss, overall fitness levels ,improved lipid profile (improves the good cholesterol) etc.Hence it is absolutely critical component.How we can do It :- One has following options to do it.a) At Gym using various equipments :- We can perform it at GYM. All we need is to make sure is that we need to have a good sensible trainer.We may do it 2-3 times/week for an hour each.b) At Home using Resistance band :- This is another option that we may perform at our home. We may order the band online (Cosco is a good brand),some good videos (10 min-30 min) are available online to learn and do the exercises along with the video. Convenience is better in this option but the drawback is that we won’t have good control on the exact amount of resistance. But it can be done on days when we look for some light strength sessions.c) At Home using Body weight :- The 5 basic strength exercises – Push Up ,Pull Up, Dips, Sit-ups and Squats are key to overall strength. Rather than working on isolated muscles they work on large muscle groups. We may do these in conjunction with band/dumbbells or standalone also. We can also do exercises like Lunges, Mountain Climbers, bridges etc.d) At Home using dumbbells :- If you know the basics right you may perform the entire exercises that you do on equipments in a Gym at your home only. You can do good variations with just a set of 2 and 5 kgs of dumbbells using proper form and by doing the moves slowly. This can be started at any age by using a set of 2 Kg dumbbells and is often a most neglected part.Don’t forget to warm up before starting the strength training sessions. You may like to wind up with a 5 min stretching session.3) Cardio ExercisesWhat is it and Why it matters :- Cardio is any form of exercise/activity that is designed to work the cardiovascular system that raises your heart rate and breathing and consequently an increase in the circulation of blood and oxygen throughout the body for an extended period of time. Getting your body to sweat also helps you to release toxins that would otherwise build up in your tissues. The benefits range from weight loss, improved Heart health, improved Lung health, improved stamina, improved immunity, stabilized blood pressure,increased energy levels,more active and dynamic lifestyle, reduced mood swings etc.How we can do it :- You may enjoy any of the below/club them/etc. to get the benefits. Go for a variety rather than repeating the same all the time.a) Fast Walking/Light Jogging :- Just go to a park nearby and enjoy fresh unpolluted morning air, get some sunlight and do fast walk/light jog to start the day.b) Treadmill /Elliptical machine/stationary cycling :- Good for those rainy seasonsc) Cycling :- We may incorporate use of a bicycle to go to nearby places etc. or do it as a part of exercise weekly.d) Swimming :- One of the best cardio exercises. Just use googles and caps to avid the chlorine side effects.e) Aerobic Dance Workouts :- In Youtube you have some good videos that we may see and do along.f) P-T exercises :- Remember the school days. Those exercises can still be incorporated.g) Stair climbing :- Avoid lifts and take stairs.h) Rope Jumping :- Good if one enjoys it.But remember that when we are overweight we should not be engaging much in strenuous exercises. Eg. Jogging would put huge stress on the knee if we are overweight etc. We need to always remember that health is served on a plate and fitness is achieved by exercise. We first need to be healthy to do exercise so diet is the most critical aspect for health. Fitness is like a cherry on the cake.4) Flexibility ExercisesWhat is it and Why it matters :- Flexibility may be defined as the ability of our joints and body parts to execute their full range of motion. Flexibility deteriorates rapidly with a sedentary lifestyle and without adequate flexibility you are more prone to injuries and with tight muscles daily activities become difficult to perform. We create body movement and posture habits which tend to reduce joint mobility. The benefits of flexibility exercises are less back pain, increased range of motion, injury prevention ,improved circulation, less stress, better posture and confidence. A flexible body a flexible spine ultimately leads to a flexible mind which is more adaptive . Practicing Yogaasanas daily is the most perfect and easiest way to obtain a flexible body and a clear mind It would help one to tone the muscles, skeletal system, nourish the body tissues and burn fat. It is excellent for all internal organs and various yoga asanas target specific parts and organs of the body like vertebra, Joints, neck, shoulder, heart, lungs, kidney etc. It will also improve your balance both physical and emotional.How we can do it :- As I have already written above that YOGAASANAS are the most perfect way to flexibility. We don’t have to do complicated postures at all , just simple basic stretching asanas have to be done with awareness of breath. We really have to be at ease during each posture and we shouldn’t feel any pain. One very good 22 minute video is that of a sequence called “Padmasadhna” which consists of 12 yogaasanas, it is taught in Art of living advance course but can be easily practiced by anyone. We may also learn asanas from any yoga instructor near our place, but we can learn simple asanas ourselves with videos. One video called Shilpa Yoga is also very well designed. Below are some common asanas which we can simply google :-a) Lying Asanas:-Ardha Halasana,Sethu Bandhasana,Naukasana,Makarasana,Shalabhasana,Bhujangasana,Dhanurasana,Kativakraasana and shavasanab) Sitting Asanas :- Vrajrasana,Parvatasana,Shashankasana,Marjariasana,Vyaghrasana,Janu Shirshasana,Gomukhasana,Padmasana,Budhkonasana and Adho Mukh Shvanasanac) Standing Asanas:-Tadasana,Prishtasana,Padhastasana,Vriksasana,Natrajasana,Utkatasana,Trikonasana,Veer Bhradraasana,Konasana and Kati chakrasana.5) Breathing ExercisesWhat is it and Why it matters :- Breathing exercises are basically an activity that would involve taking breaths consciously. Every emotion has an impact on our breath eg when we are happy and relaxed we breathe deeply, when we are in anger we automatically take short breaths etc. Now our motive is to control these emotions/feelings but we often find ourselves not able to keep them under control. The best way to achieve this is through control of breath ,when we do breathing exercises and learn conscious breathing we are able to control our emotions as well, it’s like a remote control to our emotions. If we observe ourselves there are two type of actions a) Voluntary b) Involuntary. Voluntary actions are the ones that we do consciously like talking, walking, moving our hands, eating drinking etc. .Involuntary actions are the actions that are taken care of by the conscious energy that resides within us like conversion of oxygen to carbon dioxide by our cells, digestion of food, pumping of blood by our heart ,all cellular actions etc. The thing with breath is that when we are not aware of it, it is involuntary but when we become aware of it and start breathing with awareness it becomes voluntary and we can control it. Hence it is a transit between Voluntary to Involuntary, Known to Unknowable, manifested to Unmanifested it is a jump into the divine. Hence breathing exercises or pranayama have found an unique place in our Vedas, yoga pradipikas, yoga sutras and more recently in Medical Science as well .Our lung function is obviously improved and more quantity of oxygen reaches and nourishes every single cell that restores health, youthfulness and cheerfulness.How we can do it :- They may be classified as the nature of breaths we takea) slow/deep/long breaths eg Anulom Vilom & Nadi Shodhan (Alternate Nostril Breathing), Deep Ujvai Breaths,3- Stage Pranayama, Simple Deep Breathing, Abdominal Breathingb) short/rapid/quick blasts of breaths eg. Kappal Bhatti,c) cyclic rhythm including a blend of both eg. Sudarshan Kriya as taught in the Art of Living6) MeditationWhat is it and Why it matters :- Meditation is actually “Doing Nothing”. We just sit with eyes closed and just as a witness observe our own thoughts without judging without comparing without imagining, without labeling. It gives us deep rest, far deeper than what sleep offers us. Meditation makes us more Dynamic, more lively, more focused, improves our concentration, improves our happiness quotient, highly raises our healing power. Other benefits are>Keeps us stress free>Reduces aging>Helps us to appreciate life more>Helps us feel more connected>Improves Brain Function>Helps us give good sleep>Increases Immunity>Increases our awareness and attention>We gain control over our mindIn this 10 minutes we would realize that how our mind exaggerates and magnifies small problems in life and that we have immense potential to face all challenges of life. The most important realization that occurs is that actually no incidence or no person or no situation is joyous or sorrowful, it is actually the “SELF-TALK” that we do with ourselves is the source of joy/misery. After that even when situations come which tend to make us tensed/stressed by positive self-talk we increase the power of the self and don’t let the negative talks of mind over power us.We develop love and compassion with others and let go of our habit of Criticizing, complaining and comparing.How we can do it :- Meditation should be practiced daily for around 10 minutes. Some guided meditations are available online. We just need to listen to it and let go. We don’t have to do anything, just listen and relax. Initially guided meditations are beneficial, slowly once we get the basics we may not actually need them. We can simple sit and meditate. Just remember that it is not concentration, it is de-concentration.We just have to make a schedule for ourself and then stick to it remembering that “ Self Discipline” is the only thing that makes someone miserable/blissfull,healthy/unhealthy,strong/week.VII) The Three Foundations of Life - Gyaan ,Bhakti & Seva :-A) Gyaan (Knowledge):-Right Knowledge is the only path that can lead us to the ultimate. Without right knowledge it is impossible to get rid of our ridiculous desires, expectations, cravings, aversions, likings, dislikings, prejudices, ideas ,concepts, fear, over excitements, worry, lust, dreams, over occupation, attachments, past memories, useless opinions, judgments, complaints, criticisms, meaningless sadness and depressions etc. Knowledge takes us from ignorance to bliss.Below are just some books, links of articles & Audio Discourses :-· http://www.mindwell.be/ebooks/thepowerofnow.pdf(Eckhart Tolle)· v http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/upanishad/Lessons_on_the_Upanishads.pdf(Divine Life Society, Swami Krishnanada)· http://www.peterrussell.com/wordpress/index.php?p=197(Peter Russel)· http://www.7freedom.com/beingnatural.htm(Timothy Schoorel)· http://www.oshoworld.com/discourses/audio_hindi.asp?album_id=153(Osho)B) Bhakti (Devotion):-Devotion doesn’t mean rites and rituals going to holy places etc. It simply means knowing and acknowledging that what we see in this world as physical reality is not even a drop in the ocean of galaxies and universes and that a force is driving everything, experiencing the connectedness in all beings the oneness that prevails everywhere and thanking the divinity for our being. Thankfulness for being is devotion. Becoming empty from within is devotion. A belief that there is a higher purpose in life over and above the materialistic aims and desires that we seek to fulfill is devotion. Understanding that life cannot simply exist without divine intervention, that the universe was designed for life for us is devotion. Who Created matter, how was it created ,from what was it created? What created Energy? What created stars and planets? Who drives the galaxies, how the universe came into being what was there before the universe came into being, what would remain after the universe disintegrates? Recognizing that a supreme being is within all of us and that we are just an extension an expression of the divine consciousness that pervades everything that is Omni present beyond space and time is devotion. Knowing the infinite and the zeroness within us is devotion. Just like billions and trillions of our cells in the body {each having its own consciousness} function together in sync to make me, to give a feeling of I ness to make me conscious. Likewise we humans and all life forms, the planets the galaxies all of us together collectively form the Ultimate Divine That is the truth. It is present in all of us everywhere every second, diving deep into that which exists everywhere is devotion. No life can be complete without devotion.C) Seva (Service):-Greed & self-centeredness is the root cause of all misery and suffering. By Being selfless we open ourselves to a whole new world of fulfillment and contentment. Our relation to others is very critical. The fundamental mistake we commit is that we always try to Please Others, Satisfy Others, Impress Others & Prove our worth to Others whereas the illuminated way of living should be that we should always try to Help Others, Serve Others Love Others & Be Compassionate with Others. Service to Humanity is Service to the Divine as all is one and the same. We can start doing service anytime anywhere , any selfless action is service. Any form of help to any one in need is service. We should not let go of any such opportunity that comes to us and presents us the golden chance to serve and allow us to become pure, useful and contribute to the society.VIII) 40 Additional Small But Important Points:-Some additional points should also be taken care of as they are very critical for not only for weight management but also for overall health:-1) Water :- Keep drinking water throughout the day and stay hydrated.Water after food:- Don’t Drink Water at least half an hour after eating food (Extremely Important) as the digestive bile juices get diluted which leads to improper digestion.2) Last Meal of the day :- Eat dinner at least two hours before going to bed for sleeping. Never eat late i.e. just before sleeping.3) Cooking Oil :- Select multiple varieties of cooking oil like Olive/Coconut/Mustard/Canola/Desi Ghee/Rice Bran etc. Make sure that the Saturated Fat is minimum(20 maximum) and in one variety Mono Unsaturated fat is more and in the other variety poly unsaturated fat is more. If we cook lunch with Oil A which is more in Mono Unsaturates then use Oil B which is more in poly Unsaturates for dinner. We can vary oils like this to get maximum benefit. never use a single cooking oil all the time..Just see the labels of the cooking oil. Use olive oil, canola oil,Coconut oil, mustard oil ,groundnut oil, rice bran oil. and keep shuffling between them. The daily intake should be restricted. Ghee could also beused wisely in some quantity. The important thing to remember is that never eat FRIED foods and cook vegetables in less quantity of oil .4) Spicy Food :- Avoid too much Spice (Red Chili should be totally discarded ,Green Chilly can be taken in moderation),Eating Pickles should be avoided.5) Salt :- Avoid excessive salt , as a rule never eat uncooked salt i.e. never sprinkle salt on fruits , salads , dal etc.6) Wrong Food Combination :-Avoid Following wrong combinations of food:- Milk + Fruit , Fruit + Food , Milk + Food , Eat salads just before eating food, not along with food7) Aim for Variety:- Go for variety in your food choices, eg. don’t restrict to just one type of grain. Ideally try to have one grain only once per day .Have wheat,brown rice,white rice, wheat, ragi, jowar , bajra (form of millets) , oats, Makai etc. Similarly for legumes,select from wide variety of Moong,masoor,arhar dals etc and beans like kidney beans soya beans,chick peas etc.8) Don’t Smoke and Don’t consume Alcohol :- By this strategy alone you can prevent at least 30–40 % of cancers and other life threatening diseases.9) Omega 3 Fatty Acids :- Extremely critical to be included in the diet on daily basis. Flax-seeds, Walnuts , Fish and cod liver oil are good sources. In our diet Omega 6 is in excess and this puts the Omega3 : Omega6 ratio out of balance.Make sure to ground the flaxseed before eating. Eating seeds directly won’t provide you the Omega 3 as they will pass through without being cracked open.10) Soak Nuts & Seeds :- Un-soaked nuts have very high amount of phylates that interfere in Iron absorption.11) Ayurvedic Herbs :- Use herbs in medicinal form occasionally to boost immunity. Eg Tulsi, Neem, Triphala, Ashwagandha, Guduchhi etc.12) Connect to earth :- Walk barefoot on grass / garden area13) Beware of Radiation :- Use mobile with caution , keep phone couple of centimeters away from the ear while talking on phone , while sleeping keep the phone in switched off mode.Use speaker phone as far as possible. I ordered one phone whose microphone was not working and I had to use speaker for all calls. Initially I was frustrated but now I am continuing with it happily as it saves me from the radiations.14) Be Expectation Free /Stress Free :- Just be like a child , full of enthusiasm and free of all insecurities , fears , judgements etc. Live to the fullest.Our expectations from others is the root cause of our stress.15) Be humorous :- Laugh as much a possible , always keep a smile on the face and make others non-serious as well. Glow from inside as well as from outside.16) Don’t use refrigerator :- Don’t use it for cooling water , storing fruits and vegetables etc. Use it only for preserving milk/curd. Purchase fresh vegetables and fruits daily.17) Don’t eat left over food on the next day :- Don’t store cooked food in fridge for consuming it the next day18) Microwave :- Best to throw it out of the house.19) Dental hygiene :- Brushing before sleeping is critical , floss once every week.20) Vitamin D :- Expose the body to morning sun whenever you get a chance.21) Bed Matress :- Don’t use a very soft mattress22) Probiotics :- Curd / Fermented food like idli/dosa contain probiotics , supplement can be taken occasionally23) Multivitamin Supplement :- Take one-two multivitamin supplement tablet every week.24) Self-Massage :- Massage the whole body with mustard oil / seasame oil / almond oil once every week.25) Plastic Bottles / Containers :- Throw away all plastic water bottles and containers26) Cosmetics :- Don’t use any creams , powders , perfumes , deodrants. Apply on your body only that thing which you can eat as through transdermal absorption a substantial portion goes in the body. If you follow above principles , anyways you are going to glow and smell good.27) Sleep – Sleep for atleast 7 hours daily28) Alarm Clock – Don’t use alarm clock to wake up , sleep on time and automatically you will wake up on time. Abrupt alarm clock disturbs smooth cardiac rhythm.29) Anger – Biggest enemy of health , be light hearted and fun loving. Take a chill pill dude! Nothing in life is permanent and serious. Its our attitude that makes insignificant things appear to be so significant and permanent. You are anyways going to die in 20–30–40–50–60 years , so why waste this small time in getting angry on pity things. Relax and let go! Let people go by there own pace.30) Fruit Juice – Prefer whole fruit over juice as they contain fiber. Preserved juice like real juice etc are full of sugar and preservatives and are disastrous.31) Awla Juice - Just check the label , sodium benzoate is hazardous to the body just like phenyl. Sodium Benzonate + Vitamin C is the worst thing to your body.Stay away from ridiculous claims. Eat fresh awla , it is the best source of anti-oxidants and vitamin C.If someone really cares for your health they would promote fresh awla not the chemical juice , its all money making. Wake Up!32) Wash Hands Regularly :- Get a sanitizer if required , keep washing your hands every 3–4 hours. Especially before eating and after loo/toilet.33) Hangout with Friends :- Do I need to say anything here? Enjoy with your buddies , make new friends. Love , care and share.34) Read Books :- Keep learning and relearning to stay young. Remember books are your best friends.35) Hobby :- Get a hobby , listen to music , learn guitar , play , have time for yourself. Do something you love to do.36) Vacation :- Take small vacations now and then to refresh your mind.37) Sex :- Have sex at-least once a week. Enjoy the touch of your partner , gaze into his/her eyes. Love, Appreciate and Respect your partner. Remember the first time your partner touched you and you got goosebumps? relive those moments , go to a new place and have one new honeymoon/year with the same partner (preferably)38) Regular Check-ups :- Get blood tests / other health checkups regularly. Eg get your lipid prpfile , Vit D , Vit B12 tested every 2–3 years.39) 20–20–20 Rule :- Keep blinking your eyes in front of computer/ laptop/ mobile / TV. Take your eyes away from your monitor every 20 minutes and gaze at an object around 20 feet away for 20 seconds. (20–20–20 rule).40) BE GRATEFUL TO LIFE – BEING THANKFUL WITH EVERY BREATH IS THE BEST WORSHIP ONE CAN OFFER TO THE DIVINE!The above components if integrated properly would surely raise the self-healing abilities of our body. We should just have faith that there is a cosmic intelligence that has fine-tuned the entire universe eg. mass of electron, gravitational constant, electromagnetic constant, distance between earth and sun, composition of air that we breathe and millions of such parameters had to be exactly the same as they are for you and me to exist. Within our cells lies the same intelligence that is driving billions of galaxies. Each cell has the same intelligence by which it is able to perform such complicated functions with such an ease. Each cell in the body is like an universe in itself. This intelligence is working all the time within us and can definitely re fine tune the parameters of our body that have gone out of order. We just have to set our priorities right and we can surely manage our health and our weight ,let these things be an integral part of our life like we brush your teeth, we bath these also shall be included in our daily routine.Finally to get you motivated :-Before (105 Kg):-Now (72 Kg):-